Tilapia: benefits and properties
The tilapia is the common name with which a group of fish of African origin is known, among which we can find with the blue tilapia, the tilapia of the Nile and the tilapia of Mozambique, which can live both in fresh water and salt water .
It is true that in our country is not a well-known fish, although it is possible to find it in many fishmongers. In fact, it becomes a fish whose consumption is interesting in pregnancy, thanks to its low mercury content (a toxic metal found mainly in bluefin tuna, tortoise or swordfish, and harmful to the future mother).
From a culinary point of view it can be cooked on the grill, baked or boiled, and even eaten alone because it does not have such a strong fishy taste or smell.
Benefits of tilapia
High protein content
Tilapia is a fish that stands out from a nutritional point of view for its high content of proteins of high biological value, similar in fact to the protein content found in chicken. In fact, 100 grams of tilapia provide 20 grams of protein.
As you surely know, high biological value proteins are those that contain more amino acids, and are essential for our health within a balanced diet.
Low mercury content
Mercury is a metal toxic to health, especially when foods with mercury are consumed in large quantities, such as swordfish, bluefin tuna or tope shark.
For this reason, AESAN (Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition) recently recommended that children under 3 years of age and pregnant women should not consume these foods.
Hence, tilapia is a fish whose consumption is recommended in the diet of pregnant women, as it also provides DHA.
Rich in DHA
DHA is a docosahexaenoic acid necessary in pregnancy, since it helps the development of the central nervous system, brain and eyes of the fetus, thus promoting the baby's cognitive development.
Bearing in mind that in pregnancy the future mother should eat at least 200 mg. of DHA, tilapia becomes a good source of this acid.
Image | nate steiner This article is published for informational purposes only. You can not and should not replace the consultation with a Nutritionist. We advise you to consult your trusted Nutritionist.
